BOSTON — The morning after Joe Colborne made his NHL exhibition game debut, something even better happened to him.

The Bruins rookie center, who suffered a major gash across his nose in last week’s first rookie game, had the stitches removed and was able to perform a bodily function we all take for granted.

“I got to blow my nose. That was a treat,” he said after practicing today at TD Garden without the full cage he had been wearing for protection, including in the game in Rochester, N.Y., Thursday.

The game with Florida, which the Bruins lost, 3-2, was a mixed bag for Colborne.

“The first period was a blur. … I felt like I was a little too hyper,” Colborne said. “I felt like the third period was my best. It felt almost like three different games [each period].”

Head coach Claude Julien witnessed the improvement in Colborne from the puck drop until the final horn.

“He really started getting better and better as the game went on,” said the coach. “We’ll get a chance to see him continue to get better. He’s a guy that brings his size, his skill and some character. Whether he needs some time to grow, I guess we’ll find out in the next little while.”